fryer



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B. M. PRYER.

ENGINE.

Patented Aug. 21, 1-883.

\ WITN ESSES INVENTQR N. Prim num -r. Wahingm n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets -Sheet 2. R. M. FRYER.

ENGINE.

No. 283,704, Pate nted Aug. 21, 1883.

IN VENTOR N, PUERS. PhqbLilhognpMr. Wzlhiugtvn, o. c.

UNITED STATES ROBERT M. FRYER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ENGINE;

EPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 283,704, dated A g st 21, 188

Application fi led December 9, 188-2. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT M. FRYER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of engines known as the double-cylinder or compound engine, and is designed to connectthe power derived from both cylinders with one crank, avoiding the use of the double crank now extensively employed in screw-steamers,

and it consists in arranging a pair of steamcylinders on a bed-plate in fore-andaft position in line with the center of the crank-shaft, and connecting the piston-rods of the same with the vibrating ends of two half-working beams or levers'by suitable links. The other end of each. of the levers are fixed to one of the two rock-shafts, which are supported by a frame parallel with the cylinders a proper height above the top of cylinders to secure proper length of links, (say one-half the stroke,) and also set far enough apart to secure the proper length of lever (say a length equal to that of the piston-stroke.) These rock-shafts are sufiiciently long to convey the power from pistons connected, as above described, to a point at the rear of the cylinders, where another lever is fixed to each of the said rockshafts equal in dimensions to the above halfbeams, and from the vibrating ends of which a connecting-rod is attached,leading to the crank-pin of a crank or disk located on a shaft supported in a pillow-block by the bed-plate to which the cylinders are attached, so that the power of the pistonsis applied to the crank at or nearly at right angles to its center, while the pistons move accordingly. The above rock-shafts also extend far enough tothe front or rear of the cylinders to work the valve-gear, as described in my application now pending therefor before the Patent Office. The said rock-shaft is also employed for working the air and other pumps, as hereinafter more fully described.

The object of my invention is to produce an engine for marine purposes, of the compound type, having the cylinders located fore and aft in a vessel as much as possible below the water-line, whereby very large cylinders may be employed without danger of rendering a vessel top heavy, as where such cylinders are located a long way above the water-line, as in the ordinary propeller-engine; second,to avoid the use of the double right-angled crank now employed to overcome the deadcentery" as 'in the case of the ordinary vertical compound engine, which cranks are so often broken, and lead to terrific marine disasters or damaging delays; third, to secure the requisite pump motion by positive and simple means; and, finally, to produce an engine, for both marine and land purposes, constructed within small space, embodying vertical cylinders and the proper length of connections between the same and the crank, and arranged to apply the power to the crank at or nearly at right angles to its center, to avoid the use of double cranks; and, furthermore, to embody the qualities-solidity, strength, conveni en cc of handling, and cleanliness-the latter quality being gained from the fact that the piston-rods work from the top of the cylinders, whereby the steam, water, and

like in the case of engines now emp loyed,where the piston-rods work from the bottom of the cylinders; where, also, the connections to fix the engine as low as possible are generally too short, whereby a great amount of lubricating material is used to overcome the consequent increased friction.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my engine, in which A and B are the cylinders, the position of which maybe reversed, so as to bring the larger or smaller cylinderlfore 0r aft. These cylinders are secured to the bed-plate O by bolts or other suitable means. D represents aframe-work,which supports rock-shafts EE, (See Fig. 2.) These rock-shafts are provided in the frame with suitable boxes or bearingblocks, F, in which the said shafts oscillate. G and H are the pisand J, with the levers K K. These levers are firmly fixed to the rock-shafts E E, so that when the pistons are reciprocated the said rock-shafts are compelled to oscillate accordingly, which motion is conveyed by E E to the levers M and N, which are also fixed to said levers rods 0 and P are connected, leading to the crank-pin Q, located in disk R on wheel-shaft S. Thus the connection is comoil cannot find their way to the other parts,

tonrods, which connect, by means of links I.

the shafts, and from the vibrating ends of the is operated by eccentrics upon shaft S, or by pleted between the cylinders and crank, by I reaches the end of its stroke, when the office which the rectilinear motion of the two pistons is converted into one continuous rotary motion at the crank, avoiding the thump and jar occasioned when the power of each piston is applied directly across the center of the shaft, like in the case of the ordinary doublecylinder vertical propeller-engine. The top of the frame D of this engine is adapted to connect with an archbelonging to a longitudinal brace or extended keelson, described in another application for a patent which I am about to I file, by which means the weight of the engine is distributed over a great surface, while the shaft is firmly supported throughout its entire length. The connection between the top of the frame D and the arch referred to may be made by any suitable adjustable link or loop in union with the said arch and the rod U at various points. This admits of removal of the frame at any time, and is a convenient fastening, when required as such, but can of course be substituted by other fastening devices. The boxes V are employed to support a rock-shaft for the valve-gear,which an improved device for which I have filed a separate application for a patent. Therefore its description here is unnecessary.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the engine, and shows the position of the two rock-shafts E E and their connecting-rods O and P and levers M and N; also, their connection with the piston-rods G and H by the levers K K and links I and J. In this view W represents one of the pumps, which is worked by rock-shaft E, in connection with leverX and rod Z Z. a is a condenser, which connects with the engine and pumps in the ordinary manner. It should here be stated that by separatingthe cylinders A and B and locating the crank between them, the power can be transmitted thereto from the rock-shafts E E by connectingrods O and P as readily as where they are now located. In this plan, however, one of the'cylinders, at least, will have to be correspondingly raised, and the steam-connection between the two cylinders would have to be somewhat changed. Otherwise this modification is unobj ectionable, and in some cases may be preferable.

Operation: Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that the piston of cylinder A is at half-stroke, and that the piston of cylinder B is designed to be at the lower end of its stroke. Now, by applying sufficient pressure to the former piston at either side the power is conveyed by links I to the lever K, to the rock-shaft E, tothe lever M, to the connecting-rod O, to the crank-pin Q, which is thus moved in either direction, carrying the connections of B (the companion cylinder) along to a point where the power of the latter maybe applied to the crank, in a manner to help rotate the same, until the piston of A of the piston of cylinder B and connections becomes the same as those of A were at the beginning, and so the offices of each are at times reversed, or working in conjunction, to

move the crank in a continuous rotary plane, whereby the dead-point in this single crank is thoroughly overcome, and a positive rotary motion is given to the wheel-shaft S, to which eccentrics may be attached for working the valves for regulating the flow of steam to the cylinders; but as such valves may be worked by a system for which I have already made application for a patent, I will omit the description of the valve operation here. It will be seen in this, Fig. 2, where the air-pump and condenser are shown, that either rockshaft E or E may be employed for working the pumps, and that the condenser may be lo cated on either side of the engine, or at any other convenient point.

w I am aware that oscillating pump-shafts have been used in connection with engines, and that the said shafts have been specially located and operated for the purpose of working pumps similar to the one I have shown but I am not aware that such shafts were ever used to convey the power of the piston or pistons of an engine to a point fore or aft of the cylinders, to connect therewith a crank, as I have shown and described; and it may be here stated that the cylinders may be located above the center of these rock shafts, and work downward, uniting with the crank in a similar manner, avoiding the use of the double crank, as now employed in compound or doubleengines. Therefore- What I claim as my invention,.and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United'States, 1s'

1. In an engine having two cylinders arranged in line with the center of the crankshaft, the combination, with one crank, of two rock-shafts located parallel with the center of the cylinders, and connected with the pistons I rock-shafts located parallel with the center of the cylinders and connected with the pistons thereof, and connections for operating the pumps, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. 1

ROBT. M. FRYER. 

